Paul Braconnier

Global IQ Inc.

Paul Braconnier is a chartered accountant with a broad background in business, of which more than 25 years has been spent in the service industry. He spent 10 years with one of the largest international accounting firms, developing a broad base of industry knowledge, and specialized in reviewing and assessing client's computer environments.  Thereafter he spent five years in the manufacturing industry as a member of the senior management team. He subsequently moved to the software/service industry as VP Finance and Administration leading the finance, administration, operations and quality teams in an ISO 9001 certified firm.  Mr. Braconnier then joined a publicly traded software development and multimedia service company as VP Finance. During his tenure, he was responsible for the financial negotiations related to several acquisitions and divestitures of technology based products.

Paul joined the Global IQ team full-time as President and CEO in November 2000, after working in a consulting capacity with the company since its inception. Under his tenure, Global IQ has run a large variety of studies in Phases I through IV, from single site 12 patient studies to an international study with more than 2,000 patients screened and 1,400 enrolled in 100 sites across 5 countries.  Mr. Braconnier joined BioAlberta's Board of Directors in November 2011.

Ross Bricker

AVAC Ltd.

Ross Bricker has been with AVAC Ltd. since 2000 and currently serves as President and CEO. Mr. Bricker has extensive experience working with and investing in early stage technology companies, and has served as a director for a number of companies and not-for-profit organizations. Previously, he has held senior positions in finance, corporate banking and provincial policy and industry development, and his early career working in molecular biology research. Mr. Bricker is also an active partner in the family’s Century farm north of Calgary. Ross holds a Diploma and a B.Sc. in agriculture, and an MBA in strategic planning and finance.  Ross Bricker joined BioAlberta's Board of Directors September 2007.

David Cox (Co-Chair)

Retired Biotechnology Executive

Dr. Cox, retired, is the past-president of Radient Technologies Inc. Prior to joining Radient, Dr. Cox was the CEO of TEC Edmonton for several years. He is an experienced leader in the public and private sectors with direct involvement in biotechnology organizations and has extensive C-Level executive experience in medium-sized pharmaceutical companies as well as small biotech companies, and has substantial experience with capital markets in Canada and the US. He has been intimately involved in technology commercialization activities for most of his career and has participated in the creation, growth and expansion of numerous technology-intensive start-up enterprises. Dr. Cox holds a PhD in Microbiology from Leeds University. Dr. Cox began serving on BioAlberta's Board of Directors in October 1998.

Al Gourley

Corporate Director and Consultant

Al Gourley, who acquired his undergraduate degree from the University of Alberta, has played a leading role in building several technology companies during the past 20 years as CEO and Director, as well as in other senior executive positions. Previously, Mr. Gourley practiced as a management consultant for about 18 years, 12 of those years as a partner and practice director of Woods Gordon (now Ernst & Young). Mr. Gourley joined BioAlberta’s Board of Directors in October 2005.

 

Ed Knash

ATB Financial

After joining ATB in 1998, Ed Knash has become Vice President of Agriculture. He holds a B.Sc. in agriculture and a B.Ed., both acquired from the University of Saskatchewan. Prior work experience includes 14 years in agriculture with a major Canadian bank in Alberta and several positions with the provincial Agriculture Departments for both Saskatchewan and Alberta. Mr. Knash has been a member of BioAlberta’s Board of Directors since October 1998.

 

Christopher Micetich

NAEJA Pharmaceutical Inc.

Mr. Micetich is presently the President & CEO and Chairman of the Board of NAEJA Pharmaceutical Inc., a privately controlled company specializing in early stage drug discovery research.  In 1987, Christopher was the COO at SynPhar Laboratories Inc. and was responsible for all aspects of Administration including Business Development, International Affairs and Strategic Planning. SynPhar was a joint venture drug discovery company with Taiho Pharmaceuticals Inc., one of the leading cancer companies in Japan. SynPhar was created to perform all aspects of early discovery mainly in the area of Infectious Diseases. Christopher joined the company from inception and played an instrumental role building the operation to 65 full time permanent employees.

In 1998, Christopher founded an independent contract chemistry company called DrisCorp Inc. that performed early stage lead optimization, process development and custom synthesis. In 1999, Christopher orchestrated, negotiated and implemented an acquisition of all assets of SynPhar from their majority Japanese partner. In August of that same year, the acquired assets were rolled into a newly created 100% privately controlled company called NAEJA Pharmaceutical Inc.

In October of 1999, Christopher orchestrated a merger between his private company DrisCorp and NAEJA. All assets, including contracts of DrisCorp, were rolled into NAEJA, a fully self-sufficient company complete with contract revenue generation, world class staff and assets that included state-of-the-art equipment and over 120 compositional matter patents. Mr. Micetich became a part of BioAlberta’s Board of Directors in November 2011.

Rick Pawluk

McCarthy Tétrault LLP

Rick Pawluk is a partner in McCarthy Tétrault LLP’s Business Law Group in Calgary. Mr. Pawluk has extensive experience in securities law, as well as public and private mergers, acquisitions and disposition transactions. He has acted for several reporting issuers from incorporation to completion of their initial public offering. He has also advised public companies as to ongoing regulatory compliance and has acted for them in a variety of transactions.

Mr. Pawluk has extensive experience in the growing area of agricultural biotechnology and agribusiness law and is familiar with regulatory and intellectual property issues related thereto.  Mr. Pawluk also regularly advises clients on competition and foreign investment law matters, including regulatory compliance matters involving mergers and acquisitions. In addition, he has represented clients in initiating or defending investigations by the Competition Bureau and has regularly advised clients in relation to reviewable business practices such as tied selling, abuse of dominance, pricing practices and refusal to deal.  He is a member of the Law Society of Alberta, Canadian Bar Association and Calgary Bar Association. Rick joined the BioAlberta Board of Directors in February 2009.

 

Ryan Radke

BioAlberta

Ryan Radke, a graduate of the University of Alberta, began his career at BioAlberta in 2003 as Vice-President, Operation and Programs before being appointed President in December 2005.  Prior to joining BioAlberta, Mr. Radke held international trade, technology and bio-pharmaceutical positions within the Government of Alberta in the departments of Economic Development and Innovation and Science.  Mr. Radke is a past member of the ABIC Foundation Board and the Government of Alberta’s Task Force on Value-added and Technology Commercialization.  He is a current member of the ASTECH Foundation Board and the NSERC-Prairie Advisory Committee.  Mr. Radke became a part of BioAlberta’s Board of Directors in November 2006.

 

Mark Redmond

Institute for Reconstructive Sciences in Medicine

Dr. Redmond is the Executive Director of iRSM, an internationally recognized clinical and research institute focused on medical reconstructive sciences. Originally from Liverpool, England, Dr. Redmond came to Canada in 1981 on an Alberta Heritage Fund for Medical Research scholarship and soon earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Alberta. After gaining experience in the biotechnology corporate sector, Dr. Redmond founded the Minerva Animal Health Corporation which was later acquired by Ceapro Inc. in 1996.  Dr. Redmond, past-President and CEO of Ceapro Inc., was appointed President of Calgary-based TheraCarb Inc. in October 2009, and subsequently President and CEO of Nano-Green Biorefineries Inc., prior to joining iRSM.  Dr. Redmond has been a member of BioAlberta’s Board of Directors since June 2004.

 

Jacqueline Shan

Afexa Life Sciences Inc.

Dr. Jacqueline Shan, co-discoverer of Afexa's [formerly CV Technologies Inc.] lead product, COLD-fX®, became President and Chief Scientific Officer of the company in 2003. Starting her university education at the early age of 15, she has since acquired doctorates from two countries – one in pharmacology and the other in physiology. She holds ten patents, is the author/co-author of 50 peer-reviewed papers, is recognized by universities in three countries, is an internationally noted speaker and is a past or present member of 20 government, industry, science and research bodies. Dr. Shan has been on BioAlberta’s Board of Directors since October 2005.

 

Rick Smith (Co-Chair)

Board Chair, SemBioSys Genetics Inc.

Rick Smith is Board Chair of SemBioSys Genetics, a Board Member of AVAC Ltd., and an independent director of Commercial Solutions Inc.  He has previously held senior management positions in the life sciences area, including human pharmaceuticals, animal health and plant sciences with Eli Lilly and Company, as well as several commercialization initiatives in plant biotechnology.  Mr. Smith became a member of BioAlberta’s Board of Directors in October 2002.

 

Laurie Stretch

NATIONAL Public Relations

Laurie Stretch is a vice president with NATIONAL Public Relations, Canada’s leading full service communications agency. She has 20 years of communications and public policy experience spanning the private and public sectors. She specializes in investor relations, issues management, media relations, and crisis communications, with a depth of knowledge in the energy sector. Before joining NATIONAL in 2008, Ms. Stretch held communications, investor relations and government relations roles with Provident Energy Trust and Petro-Canada. Ms. Stretch started her career in public policy and political positions in Ottawa. She holds an M.A. from Queen’s University, and an Honours B.A. from the University of Alberta, both in political science. Ms. Stretch joined the Board of Directors in November 2010.